The Legacy of Vashna: walkthrough
The [[Platinum Amulet|'Platinum Amulet']] and the [[Runic Disc|'Runic Disc']] are two useful Special Items that can be obtained in this adventure. This is the last adventure where you can use the [[Helshezag|'Helshezag']] and the [[Dagger of Vashna|'Dagger of Vashna']]. Walkthrough criteria The gamebook can be completed in many different ways. This walkthrough is compiled according to the following criteria, in order of importance: # assume that this is the first gamebook played, except when otherwise noted; # collect and use as many items as possible; # avoid combat as much as possible, especially the strongest enemies; # see as many illustrations as possible. Getting started Suggested disciplines # Kai-surge - Boosts your CS and can be used to weaken many foes; # Assimilance - Gives you a bonus to various random tests. # Kai-screen - Gives you a bonus to many random tests. # Kai-alchemy - Gives you a bonus to an important save-or-die test and has multiple uses throughout the book. If you are a Sun Knight (or higher ranked), it lets you avoid a save-or-die test at the end of the book. If your character doesn't already benefit from the Magnakai Disciplines of Weaponmastery and Curing, Grand Weaponmastery and Deliverance are both excellent choices. If you completed the previous Grand Master gamebooks, the following disciplines become very useful: * Grand Huntmastery - Helps you get the Runic Disc and fight against a group of Lavas. * Grand Nexus - Lets you avoid a fight with a Zarthyn. Suggested equipment You can take up to four items. If you don't already have equipment from other books, choose the following: * Any one Weapon (if you choose the Quarterstaff and you don't have Grand Pathsmanship, you can lose it instead of your Bow when you get struck by the lightning); * Bow (Weapon); * Quiver (Special Item); * Potion of Laumspur (Backpack Item). If you have already completed the previous gamebooks, all you probably need is the Potion of Laumspur (and possibly the Quiver for more Arrows). Useful items from previous gamebooks * [[Sommerswerd|'Sommerswerd']] (found in Book 2; weapon-like Special Item): Provides +8 CS and inflicts double damage upon undead. It has multiple other uses throughout the book. * [[Silver Helmet|'Silver Helmet']] (found in Book 3; Special Item): Provides +2 CS. * Dagger of Vashna (found in Book 4; weapon-like Special Item): You can use it to escape Shamath's magical prison with no EP loss. (Note: ''Bring the Dagger only if you don't have the Sommerswerd, otherwise you won't be able to skip the fight with the Shamath Automatons). * [[Silver Bow of Duadon|'Silver Bow of Duadon']] (found in Book 6; weapon-like Special Item): Gives you a +3 bonus to your results when firing an Arrow. * [[Kagonite Chainmail|'Kagonite Chainmail']] (found in Book 12; Special Item): Gives you +3 CS and +1 EP. * [[Silver Bracers|'Silver Bracers']] (found in Book 12; Special Item): Provide +2 CS and +1 EP. * [[Jadin Amulet|'Jadin Amulet']] (found in Book 15; Special Item): Gives a +1 bonus to test when dodging missile-like attacks. Even though you lose it in this adventure, you don't need to bring [[Helshezag|'Helshezag']] with you. Unless you use it in a fight, all it does is make you lose a few EP when it gets destroyed. Notes: 1. There will be two unescapable test scenario where you must pass or get killed. One of them is at the start of the trek to Maakengorge, another one is just at the end of the adventure. 2. Your ideal starting Combat Skill should be 30 or more. 3. To use Kai-Blast (Sun-Lord level Kai-Surge), pick two random numbers and add them. The total is the damage dealt against your enemy and then subtract 4 EP from yourself (cost). This is done before the fight begins. It cannot be used in conjunction with other psychic attacks. Walkthrough Part I: Magador and Helgor (1) You begin at Helgor and are taken to the President's palace. If you have played ''The Masters of Darkness, President Kadharian was the Slavemaster of Aarnak. He will explain the backstory. After you get the Black Amulet, you head to Helgor. The fastest way to the Crooked Sage Inn is by the eastern exit. (21) You need to pay between 2 to 7 Gold Crowns. 2 is for the horse and a drink. You can use 5 Gold Crowns or use Kai-alchemy to get information from Smudd. But before Smudd can answer your questions, he's assassinated. (215) To get the Runic Disc, chase the assassin from the staircase, fire an Arrow and then, most important of all, you have to jump across the building. Beware, there is only 20% chance of you getting the Runic Disc (50% if you have Kai Grand Guardian-ranked Grand Huntmastery). If you don't want risking losing EP, Gold Crowns, and Backpack Items, you can choose to avoid following the assassin. Note: While it is possible to skip the Runic Disc, it will be useful in two situations: on the boat and during the exit-the-hall scene later in the adventure. (341) After exiting Helgor, you will be inspecting the footprints. If your score is 5 or more, you will notice that there are two more pairs of footprints with hobnailed boots. (67) Seek shelter at the abandoned mine shaft. If you have Kai Grand Guardian-ranked Animal Mastery, you calm down a wolf and you can restore 3 EP here. (279) In the morning, you leave for a derelict hovel, and Gwynian is there, waiting for your arrival. He'll tell you about the amulet and then gives you the Platinum Amulet. Part II: Lake Vonandrol and Vorn (297) If you have Kai Grand Guardian-ranked Animal Mastery, you summon two wildcats to watch over you. In any case, you will be awaken by a storm and a horde of Vortexi. You must fight them. If you have Sun Lord-ranked Kai-surge, use it to weaken the Vortexi before fighting them. (337) Vakorian brigands are lying wait to ambush you. If you picked 0 or 1, the brigands have started firing on you that you have to avoid first then return fire. If not, you can go after the brigand leader by using Kai-alchemy, then take whatever loot they have and you can flee later on. (223) Investigate the wooden gully. If you search among the corpses you will find a Black Token. Leave it there. Then find shelter at a hut to restore some Endurance Points. (285) At the river crude ferry crossing, if you pick an even number you will encounter a flock of Duncrag Scavengers. You can avoid them by using Sun-Knight ranked Animal Mastery. If you pick an odd number, you trek is quite tiresome but you will eventually arrive at an ancient settlement. (317/249/172) If you have Grand Pathsmanship, you will encounter Bayan and his family. After you help them he will guide you to the hamlet of Vorn. If you don't have it, you will be hit by a lightning ball. Unless you have the Sommerswerd, '''one of your Weapons will be destroyed (a Bow or a Quarterstaff will at least prevent you from substaining damage). (8/339) Five miles from Vorn, there's a schooner and some Vakorian looting. If you have '''Animal Mastery, you command the dog to stop the yelping. If not, you will be hiding in the inn with a high chance of getting some loot from a brigand you killed. (163) An energy bolt is heading towards you and you must lose some EPs. If you don't have the Sommerswerd, do not use Kai-alchemy (it's ineffective and it will prevent you from trying to dodge the projectile). Afterwards, eliminate an Acolyte of Vashna with Kai-alchemy, Magic-magic, or by firing an Arrow. Part III: To Maakengorge (325) If you don't have Grand Pathsmanship, put on a red robe and go on the boat. When the Elder shouts at you, ignore his command and you'll have a safe voyage. If you do have Grand Pathsmanship and go on the boat, however, you will risk dying or losing all your melee Weapons, unless you have the Runic Disc or Magi-magic. You might want to use the foothills route instead, to avoid this scenario. You will encounter a hunter by the name of Fryad, who will guide you on how to reach the Maakengorge from here. Collect the yellow blooms as meals before heading to the stone hall. (137 / 150) This is the first of the unescapable pass-or-killed test scenarios of this adventure. Once the sermon is over you will be going out of the hall, with each given a torch. ''Note: In the revised Mongoose edition of the book, the bonuses for Kai-alchemy, Kai-Screen, and Assimilance are cumulative (max of 6). Thus, if you have all the three skills above after calculating bonuses, you have eliminated the failed and be killed result.'' (192) You can slip by the hut to stock up on arrows, if you wish. (218) If you have the Black Token, it will activate and you need to throw it away. If you have improved Grand Huntmastery, the chances of you getting killed is only 20 percent while using Kai-alchemy will get you 30% instead. After you've thrown the token away, you need to tag up with the rest of the queue with a test your luck score of 7 or more. If you are caught, it's better to use '''Kai-Screen' to stop the Elder's mind probe.'' If you didn't pick up the token, you will lose some EPs when you dip your hand into the trough. You can safely pass if your EP after this incident is 21 or more. If you are caught, it's better to use '''Kai-Screen' to stop the Elder's mind probe.'' (250) As you head further to the Maakengorge, the man on the dais is obviously the Archdruid Cadak himself. No matter what special weapon you possess, you're detected and then thrown into the Shadow Gate into the Plane of Darkness. Part IV: Plane of Darkness General note: Add 4 to your Combat Skill when using the Sommerswerd and in the Plane of Darkness (as a consistency issue raised in Dawn of the Dragons) (60) Upon landing, you must fight a Lavas. Sun Lord-ranked Grand Huntmastery gives you a higher combat ratio. (3) To avoid fighting the Zarthyn, you need to have Sun Knight-ranked Grand Nexus that allows you to be in suspended animation. If you don't have it, do not use the Bow: it won't work and the combat will be harder. (327) You're inside the cavern of the ice mountain. This is where you meet the mysterious woman, Alyss, whom you will encounter in the later adventures. She will tell you what you need to do to escape and about the Deathstaff. (50) If you have the Dagger of Vashna, '''use it to escape your magical prison without harm. After using this the Dagger disappears and you can no longer use it. You then will have to fight Shamath's automatons, the Chegath. If you don't have the Dagger of Vashna but you do have the '''Sommerswerd, you can avoid the fight with the Shamath's automatons. (242) After dispatching them, Shamath launches a psychic attack on you. She will challenge you to answer a riddle. In the original edition, the riddle lacked a vital piece of information that makes it impossible to solve. In the revised Mongoose edition, the first part of the riddle is now shown as: ‘I possess two Dwellers of the Abyss. My loyal servants are equal in number to the months in a Magnamund year, less the number of my Dwellers of the Abyss.’ In both editions, the answer to the riddle is 10. (171) Now that Shamath is weakened, you have to run and retrieve the staff. Assimilance, Grand Pathsmanship, Telegnosis, '''and a higher Grand Master rank all give you a higher chance to dodge Shamath's minions and reach the Deathstaff without unnecessary fights. However, if you possess the Helshezag, the weapon will also be destroyed by the Deathstaff and you will suffer a minor EP loss before you head back to Magnamund. Part V: Stopping Cadak (345) As soon as you emerge from the Shadow Gate, you will have to fight some Acolytes of Vashna. You can use the Deathstaff as your Weapon in this combat for a +10 CS bonus, but if you do you will lose 5 EP after the combat. (Remember that you can't use the Deathstaff and the Sommerswerd in the same fight.) (65) However use the Deathstaff against the Vortexi. '''Kai-surge, Kai-screen, Assimilance, '''and a current Endurance score of 18 or more all help you get rid of them without having to fight. (46) After you destroy the Vortexi, you can restore your Endurance points to their original level. Just in time for your final fight against Archdruid Cadak. (29) If you don't have the Sommerswerd, you are given some options. Do not use the Deathstaff or the Bow against the Archdruid: they are not effective and you will only use EP. If you have '''Kai-surge, '''use to weaken Cadak. If you don't have it, '''Kai-alchemy is the second best option. (164) Shamath has now entered the Shadow Gate here. To close the gate, you only have two chances to enter the right code here. Compare the total of the first three numbers of each row with the last two. The correct answers are 6 (first try) and 110 (second try). (246)' 'This is the second unescapable pass-or-killed scenario. If you have '''Sun Knight-ranked Kai-alchemy' you automatically remove the instant death result. Otherwise, you only have 70% chance to survive, provided your current Endurance score is 15 or higher.'' Congratulations, you've completed the adventure! Appendices Enemy roster Lone Wolf's average Combat Skill (assuming you picked a 5 when determining your initial CS) is: * 30, if this is your first adventure; * 35, if this is your first adventure and you picked Grand Weaponmastery; * 42, if you completed all previous adventures and you collected all usable CS-boosting items. (Note: Picking Grand Weaponmastery only increases this score by 1 point in this case, since you already benefit from Weaponmastery). Lone Wolf is at disadvantage if the Combat Ratio is -4 or less, i.e. if the enemy Combat Skill is 4 or more units higher than Lone Wolf's one. Unavoidable enemies (**) Immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge. Category:Walkthrough